Steve Belichick will resign as North Carolina’s defensive coordinator on October 27, after his medical leave ends, as UNC has concluded its investigation into the football program.
The university said the probe found that “certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina’s values and standards of conduct,” but also said those actions were isolated and did not amount to a wider failure across the program.
He went on medical leave on August 6, with his father, UNC head coach Bill Belichick, saying at the time, “We look forward to getting him back as soon as possible. Those claims were part of the wider investigation and were not publicly confirmed by UNC in its final statement. Because of drug use, importantly, UNC’s announcement did not specifically say that Steve Belichick resigned.
UNC did not publicly identify the actions or say that Steve Belichick was being forced out. The decision comes after more than a month of uncertainty around Steve Belichick’s position. It’s a medical situation, so I really can’t make any further comment. The university did not explain exactly what Steve Belichick did or which findings involved him.
Earlier reports from WRAL said investigators had questioned people about allegations that he used drugs at university facilities or provided drugs to at least one player. UNC has now said the investigation is over and that corrective steps are being taken. The school said: “The University has concluded a thorough and independent investigation into allegations related to culture and climate within the Carolina football program. Investigators asked whether Steve Belichick had used drugs at university facilities and whether he had given drugs to at least one player, according to people familiar with the investigation who spoke to WRAL. The report also said investigators asked about possible inappropriate relationships involving members of the recruiting staff, players and assistant coaches. It only said the investigation found actions that went against the university’s values and conduct standards.
